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Trade Secrets and Information Sharing

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  • Thomas Rønde

Abstract

If trade secrets are weakly protected by law, firms risk losing their valuable information when employees are hired by competitors. It may therefore be optimal to limit the number of employees who share the trade secrets even if it reduces the firm's productive efficiency. The benefits of limited information sharing are greatest if the efficiency cost is low and the competition in the market is neither very tough nor very weak. It is shown that it is more profitable to reduce the information sharing by giving the employees different information than by giving some employees more information than others.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Rønde, 2001. "Trade Secrets and Information Sharing," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(3), pages 391-417, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jemstr:v:10:y:2001:i:3:p:391-417
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1430-9134.2001.00391.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Fosfuri, Andrea & Ronde, Thomas, 2004. "High-tech clusters, technology spillovers, and trade secret laws," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 45-65, January.
    2. Motta, Massimo & Rønde, Thomas, 2002. "Trade Secret Laws, Labour Mobility and Innovations," CEPR Discussion Papers 3615, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Bouckaert, J.M.C. & Degryse, H.A., 2002. "Softening Competition by Enhancing entry : An Example from the Banking Industry," Discussion Paper 2002-86, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    4. Fosfuri, Andrea & Rønde, Thomas, 2002. "High-tech clusters, technology spillovers, and trade secret laws," Working Papers 07-2002, Copenhagen Business School, Department of Economics.
    5. You-Na Lee & John P. Walsh, 2012. "Intra-organizational integration and innovation: organizational structure, environmental contingency and R&D performance," ICER Working Papers 20-2011, ICER - International Centre for Economic Research.
    6. Ng, Travis, 2013. "Information acquisition and institutions: An organizational perspective," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 301-311.
    7. Fosfuri, Andrea & Rønde, Thomas, 2003. "High-Tech Clusters, Technology Spillovers and Trade Secret Laws," CEPR Discussion Papers 4130, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.

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